1. Scope of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for the pickup and removal of waste material such as refuse, and more particularly to an improved device for the optimally sanitary disposal of dog droppings and the like.
2. Prior Art
Due to the unsightly and unsanitary nature of dog droppings along sidewalks, roads and grassy areas, many communities have enacted regulations and laws requiring that pet owners not only leash dogs during walks, but also require the pickup and removal of any dog droppings deposited during the walk. In some cases, severe penalties are provided for enforcement of violations.
A number of devices have been both patented and marketed which facilitate both pickup and removal of dog droppings and the like. A simple device for accomplishing the same is the utilization of a small plastic disposable bag or pouch within which the dog's owner places his or her hand for protective manual pickup of the droppings. Subsequently the flexible plastic bag is reversed or turned inside out and sealed or knotted to close the bag opening. A significant psychological drawback is encountered utilizing this known methodology, that drawback being associated with protected indirect contact with soft, malleable droppings.
Various sizes and shapes of “pooper scoopers” have also been marketed. When used directly, the inner and outer surfaces of such devices become soiled and must be rinsed or washed after each use. Accordingly, pet-owners (and others) are often confronted with pet waste having available only an awkward scoop or shovel or, worse, a simple plastic bag for use together with whatever other “tools” may be afforded by their immediate environment. Other solutions known in the art such as disposable surgical gloves, paper tissues, sandwich bags and the like do little to reduce the well-known unpleasantness of the pet sanitation task. None of these alternatives provides for optimal sanitary gathering and capturing of pet waste.
The use of mechanical type waste removal and capturing systems often relies on the cleaning of the system subsequent to which is time consuming and may not be sanitary. Thus, there is a need for a waste removal and capturing system which is disposable as a unit.
There is further a need for a waste removal and capturing system which is easily manufactured, low cost in manufacture and is sufficiently cost optimized in order that the consumer may discard the system after one time use.
There is a further need in the art for a device that is capable of removing waste, such as, soft animal excrement from relatively tall grassy areas. Conventional “pooper-scoopers” are not able to properly remove soft excrement from such areas. For example, the use of a plastic bag wrapped around a user's arm still requires a user to comb through tall grassy areas (while indirectly touching the soft waste excrement) which still does not result in proper removal of the soft droppings. Thus, there is a need for a waste removal encapturing system which is able to properly remove waste, such as, soft animal droppings from grassy areas.
There is a still further need for a waste removal system which permits the user to substantially encapsulate the waste material and cradle the waste material within a substantially closed region where the waste material may be gently removed.
There is a further need in the art for a simple device that solves these problems of awkwardness, inconvenience, and distastefulness associated with gathering and disposing of pet waste. These unresolved problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by our invention in the manner described below.